Switching arrangement for contact spring strips



1966 J- BERNUTZ ETAL 3,

SWI'ICHING ARRANGEMENT FOR CONTACT SPRING STRIPS Filed Sept. 8, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 8, 1966 J. BERNUTZ ETAL 3,

SWITCHING ARRANGEMENT FOR CONTACT SPRING STRIPS Filed Sept. 8, 1965 5 SheetsSheet 2 Nov. 8, 1966 J. BERNUTZ ETAL 3,284,504

SWITCHING ARRANGEMENT FOR CONTACT SPRING STRIPS Filed Sept. 8, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet s United States Patent 3,284,604 SWITCHING ARRANGEMENT FOR CONTACT SPRING STRIPS Johannes Bernutz, Ludwigsburg-Hoheneck, and Gerhard Sobel, Eningen, Germany, assignors to International Standard Electric Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 8, 1965, Ser. No. 485,683 Claims priority, application Germany, Sept. 26, 1964, St 22,732 6 Claims. (Cl. 200166) This invention relates to miniature plugs for contact spring strips and particularly to miniature plugs equipped with engaging studs.

The present invention is related to an invention of Johannes Bernutz, filed November 5, 1964, in the United States Patent Ofiice is patent application No. 409,192. This prior patent application relates to a switching arrangement for contact spring strips, constructed of contact springs arranged in rows side by side and for the accommodation of one contact knife blade, covering several contacts, or several such knife-blades, in which, parallel to the edge of the knife, as well as in the slide-in direction at least two contact rows are arranged and wherein engaging elements are provided between contact strip and contact knife-blade which, in case of different positions of the contact knife-blade engage into the contact springs with the respectively associated recesses of the counterpiece.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improvement over the invention described in the earlier filed patent application. This is achieved according to the invention by the provision of a novel arrangement of engaging devices on one side only of a miniature-type lu p iccording to another feature of the invention the limiting piece shows a lever on the side with the aid of which the engaging positions can be released manually.

According to a further feature of the invention said limiting piece shows a slot, closed on the top side wherein a stud of the miniature-type plug is arranged, said stud being shiftable.

According to a further featuer of the invention an elastic stud is arranged in the slot of the limiting piece which defines the switching positions of the miniature plug.

According to another feature of the invention the stud of the miniature plug and the slot of the limiting piece are made either conical or recessed.

By reason of the employment of the present invention for engagement of the miniature plug, various advantages are obtained. Due to the single-side engagement more contacting points along the spring strip are obtained, because only one engaging spring is required.

The engaging spring is provided with an elastic extension which permits easy release from engagement when the plug is removed. The miniature-type plug is secured against tilting-over in each position of engagement. If the miniature plug is made attachable to the unit the design, to be enclosed on top, can be used.

The invention is now in detail described with the aid of the accompanying drawings showing embodiments of the invention, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a miniature plug with lateral engaging studs and an RC element,

FIG. 2 shows a miniature plug with lateral engaging studs and a pulse contact arrangement,

FIG. 3 shows a miniature plug, engaged into a disconnecting piece, in a perspective view,

FIG. 4 shows a miniature plug in a disconnecting piece, firmly attached, without engagement, in a perspective view,

3,284,604 Patented Nov. 8, 1966 FIG. 5 shows the same miniature plug in a disconnecting piece with single-sided engagement, in a perspective view,

FIG. 6 shows the same miniature plug with doublesided engagement in a perspective view, and

FIGS. 7a and 7b show a cross-section through a disconnecting piece.

FIG. 1 shows an example of a miniature plug the insulating body 1 of which is provided on one side with three engaging grooves 2. Said grooves enable, in cooperation With an engaging spring 8, inserted into the spring strip, the engagement into defined positions, e.g. nonoperative position, 1st contacting position, or 2nd contacting position. The contactanaking is defined by the contact lanes 3 provided in the individual contact positions on the insulating body 1. Small components can be mounted on the insulating body 1 in conjunction with the contacting lanes 3, as e.g. an RC element 4. Fastening of the parts RC may preferably be by use of a technique known for printed circuits, by dip-soldering or the like.

FIG. 2 shows another example of an engaging miniature plug 1. The insulating body 1 bears only one engaging groove 2 for the nonoperative position.

The contact leads or lanes 3 of said plug are designed so that, when plugging into the spring strip via the contact springs 5 and 6 of a spring strip, three pulses are obtained, whereas the final position of the miniature plug is indicated through the contact spring 7.

FIG. 3 shows in a perspective view a disconnecting piece 8 into which a plug 1 is inserted up to the first engaging groove 2 and therein engaged. The engagement is made through a stud 9 which engages as a small extension of the protruding edge 10 into one of the grooves, particular to the contact surface plane of the plug, whereas both protruding edges 11 of the rim serve as a lateral stop. The protruding rim is a part of the elastic arm 12 of the disconnecting piece 8 the extension 13 of which is pushed aside by the miniature plug as a lever when the plug engages and, consequently, said plug can easily be pulled oflf. To prevent a lateral slipping olT of the plug when plugging or engaging respectively, it is held by two projecting parts 15, located in the part 14 opposite the stud 9. The disconnecting piece 8 itself is inserted into a spring strip form-lockingly and engages with a projecting part 16, formed like a hook and provided at its bottom, into an opening of the spring strip. The disconnecting part 8 simultaneously divides the spring strip into individual chambers which can also be modified, if so required.

FIG. 4 shows in a perspective view a disconnecting piece 8 with an inserted miniature plug 1. In this design the plug is loosely attaohed, but remains easily exchangeable. The replacement is made by removing and/0r inserting the disconnecting piece including the plug into and/or from a spring strip. The disconnecting piece 8 is provided with a slot 17 in which slides a laterally applied stud 18 of the miniature plug 1. The length of the slot 17 corresponds to the path of the miniature plug and determines both positions of function. By means of a spring the miniature plug can be designed like an elastic key. The contact leads or lanes 3 of the plug can be made in compliance with manufacturing methods known, e.g. for printed circuits, and for a variety of switching processes according to conventional spring sets,

V provided for push buttons.

FIG. 5 shows a similar arrangement for an engagingtype plug. The plug 1' does not difier from the previously described example, with the exception that the disconnecting piece 19 shows a cam 20 in the slot 17'. Said cam 20 secures the plug 1' in both final positions against unintended shifting. The disconnecting piece 19 is pro- 3 vided with a second slot 21, besides the slot 17', in order to enable an elastic movement of the cam 20 when the plug 1' is shifted.

FIG. 6 shows the same arrangement, but with cams 20' in the slot 17 on either side and correspondingly with two slots 21' for an elastic movement of the cams when the plug 1 is shifted.

Since it is conventional for push buttons with engagernent that the pressing force is approximately four times the pulling force the cams 20 and 20' are suitably shaped like a drop. The lip angle of the cam 20 or 20' respectively, over which the stud 18 of the plug 1 must slide, is thereupon larger when pressing than when pulling.

FIGS. 7a and 7b show cross-sections through the disconnecting piece 8 and 19 or 19 and through the stud 18 of the miniature plug 1'. FIG. 7a shows a cone-shaped design of the slot 17 or 17' respectively and of the stud 18, whereas FIG. 7b shows a construction with recessed stud and a more narrow slot.

Both designs achieve that adjacent plugs cannot mutually engage, for example, by twisting.

While the principles of the invention have been described above in connection with specific apparatus and applications, it is to be understood that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation on the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A switching device incorporating contact making and breaking components, comprising a miniature plug incorporating studs and a plurality of separated strips forming conductive contacts,

a disconnecting piece incorporating means for engaging said studs,

said miniature plug incorporating said studs along one side thereof to selectively engage said disconnecting piece and thereby position respective ones of said conductive contacts, said means for engaging said studs comprising a flexible part of said disconnecting piece to permit shifting said miniature plug relative to said disconnecting piece and to permit engagement of different studs with said disconnecting piece. 2. A switching device substantially claimed in claim 1, in which said disconnecting piece includes a lever by means or" which said disconnecting piece and a stud in contact with said disconnecting piece can be disengaged. 3. A switching device substantially as claimed in claim 1, in which said disconnecting piece includes a slot having closed ends within which a stud may be shifted from one position to another. 4. A switching device substantially as claimed in claim 1, in which said means for engaging said studs includes an elastic cam surface to directly engage a stud on said plug. 5. A switching device substantially as claimed in claim 1, in which the means for engaging said studs comprises openings having coneshaped cross-sections, and the studs terminate in conical sections to engage said openings having cone-shaped cross-sections. 6. A switching device substantially as claimed in claim 1, in which the means for engaging said studs includes openings suitable to receive cylindrical studs, and the studs terminate in cylindrical sections.

No references cited.

ROBERT K. SCHAEFER, Primary Examiner. 

1. A SWITCHING DEVICE INCORPORATING CONTACT MAKING AND BREAKING COMPONENTS, COMPRISING A MINIATURE PLUG INCORPORATING STUDS AND A PLURALITY OF SEPARATED STRIPS FORMING CONDUCTIVE CONTACTS, A DISCONNECTING PIECE INCORPORATING MEANS FOR ENGAGING SAID STUDS, SAID MINIATURE PLUG INCORPORATING SAID STUDS ALONG ONE SIDE THEREOF TO SELECTIVELY ENGAGE SAID DISCONNECTING PIECE AND THEREBY POSITION RESPECTIVE ONES OF SAID CONDUCTIVE CONTACTS, SAID MEANS FOR ENGAGING SAID STUDS COMPRISING A FLEXIBLE PART OF SAID DISCONNECTING PIECE TO PERMIT SHIFTING SAID MINIATURE PLUG RELATIVE TO SAID DISCONNECTING PIECE AND TO PERMIT ENGAGEMENT OF DIFFERENT STUDS WITH SAID DISCONNECTING PIECE. 